peripherals

If you have a PlayStation 3, then you've probably updated your home video game console to the latest and greatest firmware version from Sony. If you're not already taking advantage of the 3D support for Blu-ray discs, or looking forward to looking at 3D panoramic photos, then perhaps you've been kicked in the shin with the latest update. Consumers are beginning to report that the update to version 3.50 has caused some USB peripherals to lose their functionality, including many "counterfeit" PS3 controllers.

Apple's on-screen keyboards and auto correction technology isn't half bad in iOS, but it's still fair to say that consuming text on the iPad is an easier endeavour than entering it. The Cupertino company's own iPad Keyboard Dock is one way to address the issue, though not especially portable; the GearZap iPad KeyCase - sold by AIDACASE in the US - attempts to remedy that, being a combination Bluetooth keyboard and folio case. Have our typing prayers been answered? Check out the full review after the cut.

Bluetooth keyboards seem to have returned with a vengeance, as users of touchscreen devices like the iPhone and iPad discover that a few hardware keys can make all the difference at times. Cervantes Mobile has launched its own offering to the segment, in the shape of Jorno: it folds out to an 85-percent of full-size keyboard and hooks up via Bluetooth.

Flip Video's other notable partnership in the new Designed for Flip accessory program is iGo, who have put together a pico-projector for the company's UltraHD and MinoHD camcorders. Unlike the Mikey for Flip, which physically snaps onto the bottom of your Flip, the iGo Portable Projector uses an adapter cable; it also has regular A/V, composite video, stereo audio, mini HDMI, VGA and microUSB inputs.

Logitech has outed its newest peripheral, the Logitech Wireless Trackball M570, promising up to 18 months use from a regular AA battery. The M570 uses Logitech's Unifying Receiver, the USB dongle that will also hook up to the company's recent wireless keyboards, and promises up to 30ft range.

Considering some of you out there are probably heading back to school around this time (or if you're already there), you might be looking for a new electronic toy to buy. And hey, if you can write it off as a school-related purchase, why not, right? That's what Genius is hoping to rope you in with, as they've just announced their new Navigator 905BT wireless mouse, featuring Bluetooth technology inside.

The origins of the PlayStation controller's triangle, circle, square and cross buttons can't exactly be described as a mystery on a par with the disappearance of the Mayans, but we've always been pretty curious about where the four symbols came from. Now we know, thanks to a Famitsu magazine interview with Teiyu Goto, the man responsible for the external design of PlayStation consoles, their peripherals and accessories, for the last 17 years. In among detailing the distinctive dual-grip design, Goto says the four symbols were actually an attempt to keep things straightforward while rivals were using letters.

The mouse changes all the time. Perhaps not in such revolutionary ways that people take notice each and every time it happens, but it certainly happens. SmartFish has just released a new design on an old favorite, and they're hoping that it's bold and new enough that it will capture the attention of consumers out there. And, considering it's the first to feature a patented swivel mechanism, they may just be on to something.

ColorWare have already waved their magic ink-pot at Apple's recent Mac mini and iPhone 4, so it comes as little surprise to see the Magic Trackpad next up for a custom paint-job. $145 gets you a brand new Magic Trackpad finished in the color scheme of your choosing, though given the Apple peripheral's minimalist design, there isn't a huge amount of room for flexibility.

Bluetooth keyboards for the iPad aren't exactly rare, but we're still waiting for that perfect pairing: something portable, that doesn't add too much bulk and that makes for an impromptu netbook replacement when you need to batter in a few thousand words on the move. Shenzhen Paoluy Silicone Technology Co.'s new iPad keyboard case (BL-BKB76), freshly spotted at the FCC, certainly looks like it could hit at least the first two points.